Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! I’m in New Orleans for Bella Blue’s burlesque retreat, but I wouldn’t forget your tip!

Before flying, take everything out of your purse.

And by “purse” I mean purse, backpack, briefcase, laptop bag, or whatever you carry every day and are taking on the plane as your “personal item”. Sometimes we forget what’s in there. I carry a small lady-like pocket knife which will never fly.

Dump everything out of your bag and remove anything you won’t be able to take on the plane and everything you won’t be needing on your trip. This way you won’t get stuck at security with that bottle of hot sauce you always keep in your bag.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

If you have thin or slippery hair, use alligator clips on your hair ornaments.

The tiny teeth will grip your hair and keep your lovely adornments in place. Head bands give me a headache and combs slide right out of my hair. These clips have saved me many a time by keeping even large items secure on my head.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Ditch the dry cleaning bags.

I know they seem like a great way to store your costumes, but they are only there to keep your garments clean until you get home. The bags don’t breathe, trap moisture, and can discolor fabric. A better option is to use natural-fiber cloth bags.

While you’re at it, get rid of the wire hangers they use too. Joan Crawford was right — they’re no good for your clothes.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Dear Constant Reader,

There’s a nor’easter howling outside, but I’m snug in The Manor with a cup of tea and big white purring cat. If you’ve got to go out, be careful!

Here’s your tip!

Inclement weather can really mess with show day. Plan ahead!

Stay safe and dry!

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Today’s tip is for teachers, but before we get to it, a related question:

If I were to teach at BurlyCon, what would you want to learn from me?

Here’s your tip!
Before teaching a new class for the first time, try it out on a test audience.

A small group of friends works well, especially if you have mix of people –some who know something about your topic and some who know nothing about it. You can get valuable feedback from both groups to improve and polish your class.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip:

Creating the order of acts for a show is an art and a science.

When creating a show’s running order, there are artistic decisions and practical ones.

On the artistic side: Creating a show that flows smoothly and is interesting. Spacing out acts of a similar mood or tempo. Also, spacing out variety acts. Placing particularly strong/exciting/crowd-pleasing acts to start and end the show. If there’s a story line, making sure the acts tell the story clearly.

On the practical side: Making sure everyone doing multiple numbers has time to change costumes. Keeping acts with a lot of set up and/or clean up separated. Trying to accommodate performer’s preferences about the order of their acts (e.g. the one with the complicated costume goes first). If there’s a story line, making sure the acts tell the story clearly.

Scratch tends to use spreadsheets, like the one above, for a clear picture of the show.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Sometimes we perform in spaces that aren’t exactly theatres and the dressing room is nowhere near the stage. Today’s tip is a simple way to make sure you don’t miss your cue.

A baby monitor lets you hear what’s happening on stage.

Some theatres have an intercom system so the performers can hear the stage while they’re in the dressing rooms. This is our low-budget version. We stick the transmitter somewhere unobtrusive near the stage and set up the receiver in our dressing room/green room/backstage area. We even have two receivers, just in case we’re spit up.

It was really useful at our show at Deacon Giles last week (where I took the blurry photo). Our backstage (the distillery) is separated from the stage (in the tasting room) by a soundproof glass door. We could see Scratch introducing us, but not hear a word he said! The monitor was a show saver.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Tonight I’ll be at Deacon Giles in Salem for The Boston BeauTease Do It Again, our tribute to Grounhog Day. It’s a clever premise, which I’m not going to spoil for you. Come to the show and see if you can figure it out!

Also Universal will be at the early show giving away goodies and tickets for Fifty Shades Free! And of course there will be creative cocktails made with Deacon Giles’ very own spirits, distilled right behind our stage!

And here’s your tip:
In a pinch, conditioner can be used as shaving cream.

Conditioner is particularly good for shaving areas of coarse hair because its purpose is to soften, which makes for an easier shave.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Your secret weapon for cleaning is distilled white vinegar.

I don’t cook with this kind of vinegar, but I do clean with it. It’s so useful! It’s a mild bleach, slightly anti-microbial, and a deodorizer. I’ve tried to make the tips below vaguely related to the life of a showgirl.

Just to be clear, you know that I’m talking about cheap distilled white vinegar, not wine, not balsamic, not that fancy herb-infused stuff at the back of the cabinet, right? Of course you do!

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page.